TY - JOUR
TI - The relationship between naevus count, memory function and telomere length in the Twins UK cohort
AU - Masi, S.
AU - Georgiopoulos, G.
AU - Ribero, S.
AU - Taddei, S.
AU - Bataille, V.
AU - Steves, C.J.
JO - Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research
PY - 2018
VL - 31
TODO - 6
SP - 720-724
PB - Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd
SN - null
TODO - 10.1111/pcmr.12722
TODO - adult;  age;  Article;  associative learning test;  cognition;  cohort analysis;  diagnostic error;  diagnostic test accuracy study;  episodic memory;  follow up;  genetic association;  human;  leukocyte telomere length;  major clinical study;  memory disorder;  memory test;  middle aged;  nevus count;  nucleic acid analysis;  paired associate learning;  paired associate learning test;  replication study;  reproducibility;  telomere length;  terminal restriction fragment assay;  memory;  nevus;  pathology;  pathophysiology;  telomere homeostasis;  twins;  United Kingdom, Cohort Studies;  Humans;  Memory;  Middle Aged;  Nevus;  Reproducibility of Results;  Telomere Homeostasis;  Twins;  United Kingdom
TODO - The presence of a skin–brain connection whereby alterations in the skin can inform on mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases is increasingly recognized. In this study, we used a discovery (n = 321) and replication (n = 147) sample from the Twins UK population to test the association between naevus count and memory function, and its mediation by telomeres. Memory function was assessed in 1999 and 2009 using the paired associates learning test (PAL), while naevus count and leucocyte telomere length (LTL, assessed by the terminal restriction fragment assay) were measured once. Higher baseline naevus count was significantly associated with fewer errors at the baseline and follow-up PAL, as well as with change in PAL score over 10 years. This association was significantly attenuated after adjustment for LTL. The significant association between naevus count and PAL score was reproduced in the replication sample. These findings suggest that melanocytes might be used as model system to study the biological ageing pathways involved in neurodegeneration. © 2018 The Authors. Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
ER -